The Complete Gargoyle and Sorceress Boxset (Books 1-9)

by Lisa Blackwood

  “Their scent memory will be enough for me to shape a spell from shadow magic to find them.”

  “Humans don’t have a sense of smell like a gargoyle. I was full human back then.”

  After a moment her brittle smile faltered. “As horrible as it was to live through, I would have put it behind me eventually. I knew the physical damage would heal, and even the humiliation of getting bested by a couple of untrained civilians would fade in time.”

  She drew patterns in the damp sand, her index finger creating lines to represent the waves. “Resnick handled a lot of stuff for me, and afterward, I was released on medical leave. All I wanted was to go home and forget. Maybe wrap myself up in my gentle fiancé’s love. But when I came home, I discovered he was having an affair. Now that I look back, I can’t believe I didn’t see it.”

  Obsidian growled anew. “Another human I shall kill when I return to the Mortal Realm.”

  “You will not kill my ex-fiancé.”

  “Fine. What about the woman he cheated on you with?”

  “There was no woman.”

  It took him a moment to change mental gears, but gargoyles and dryads seemed more open and accepting of same-sex pairings. “Your fiancé was a lover of men?”

  She nodded.

  “Matt begged me to stay and listen, claiming he loved me, always had and was just trying to make it work.” She gave a bitter snort, then explained something Obsidian likely hadn’t gleaned from his short time on Earth. “Matt’s from a very traditional Italian family. Catholic.”

  Anna took the time to explain what that meant.

  “He was too afraid to come out of the closet with his family, and his religion still called love between same-sex couples a perversion.”

  “I see.” Obsidian still sounded like he wanted to eat someone. “This male, this Matt, he really did love you, just not how you’d thought.”

  “Yeah. Should have seen it though. He was never the instigator in bed, but he was the best friend and partner I could ever want in other areas. Attentive, sweet, humorous. Hell, he was even a great cook. And he didn’t hide the fact he wanted kids. I guess he thought marriage to his best friend wasn’t a terrible life choice considering his religious background and his family’s expectations.”

  “So, you and he are still friends?”

  “No. I was in shock and hurting. Not capable of rational thought at the time. I screamed at him and the other dude for like three minutes straight and then grabbed my shit and went to my parent’s place.”

  She cleared her throat. “My family doesn’t know about the rape. I swore Resnick to silence. I didn’t want my father or brothers to look at me differently. My mom can’t keep a secret to save her life. As far as they know, I just came home to surprise my fiancé and then found him with another man. That explained the rage and the tears I couldn’t hide from my mom.”

  “I would take this hurt from your heart if I could.” Obsidian nuzzled her again.

  “I know.” She pressed her cheek against his shoulder. “It’s been three years. I’ve forgiven Matt, mostly. The other trauma only visits me in nightmares or when something triggers a memory, but I can bury that shit deep and function in daily life. I just can’t get intimate with someone. I’ve tried a few times. All the dread just comes rushing back. I figured if I couldn’t have love, I’d have my career. Screw anyone who thought they could tear me down.”

  She’d whitewashed the gory details and the worst of the emotional trauma. That was something Obsidian didn’t need to know.

  “I will never hurt you like that.” His breath stirred her braids.

  “I know. But I still can’t...”

  “Shh...I’m done pressuring you. My beloved Kyrsu, you can love me like a brother, and I will be content.” He nuzzled her cheek again. “But I’ll also be faithful.”

  Deep down, that’s what she’d wanted, wasn’t it? For him to be as asexual as she’d become. For him to be ‘safe’ for her to love. Yet now that she knew how deeply he loved her, she felt guilty for being so selfish.

  He was silent for a time, then huffed out a sad sounding whine. “I’ve reawakened all these old memories, haven’t I? Forgive me for that.”

  “You’re not at fault. Life just has a way of sucking.”

  Obsidian gently rocked her in his arms. “I will become Shadowlight for you again.”

  “Shadowlight is gone. We can’t go back to that uncomplicated relationship, but I’d love for Obsidian to become my rock.”

  Silently she mourned what they could have had if her life had been different.

  “Of course. And in the future, I won’t fall asleep under the influence of healing magic.”

  Anna snorted. “Well, maybe not while I’m out doing dangerous work. Getting caught up in your sexy-time dreams is a bit of a distraction.”

  He coughed, and she felt his embarrassment flow down their link. “I’m normally better at shielding my thoughts and emotions from you.”

  “You’re not nearly as good as you think.” A grin tugged at her lips, surprising her.

  “I’m not?” He asked slowly.

  “Well, that was the first vision I caught. Normally it’s just emotions and a few heated thoughts when you’re...” She made a jerking motion with one hand.

  “Goddess.” He cleared his throat nervously a second time. “I wasn’t aware.”

  “I wasn’t about to draw your attention to the issue during those times.”

  The big gargoyle looked like he wanted to disappear into the sand beneath his feet. She’d never seen Obsidian squirm before. Her grin bloomed full force.

  “Don’t worry. I never felt threatened by you during those times.”

  “I am glad.”

  It had actually been the opposite. Feeling Obsidian’s desire, knowing what he was doing had been sexy. Not that she’d admit that to him.

  Anna felt more lighthearted than she had in weeks.

  But she was also exhausted, the healing magic lulling her toward sleep. “Do you mind if we stay here a while? I need a nap.”

  “I’ll be here when you wake.”

  She curled into him and closed her eyes. Sleep was just reaching up to claim her when she heard his final whispered words.

  “Sleep well, my love.”

  Chapter 38

  OBSIDIAN TOOK IN ANNA’S peaceful expression and just enjoyed the rare moment when her guard was down. She’d finally trusted him enough to share her painful secret. Perhaps now healing would flow into her soul and wash away her darkest memories.

  And maybe she’d even heal enough to love him. He’d be patient, offering whatever support she might accept and then one day perhaps she’d be able to love him like he did her. It would not come soon, he knew, but gargoyles were very long-lived. Patience was an innate trait they all shared.

  “My young Rasoren,” came the softly familiar voice of Lord Draydrak. “Normally, I would praise the path you’ve chosen to help heal your Kyrsu. However, I have dire news.”

  Magic arced up from the ground, twisting and spinning, stirring air and sand into a violent storm between Obsidian’s position on the beach and where the ocean rolled in. He raised a shield of shadow magic around himself, preventing Anna from getting pelted with damp sand.

  The magic storm lasted only moments, then it swiftly pulled in upon itself as a viewing mirror appeared. Lord Draydrak was already waiting on the other side. When the shimmering magic calmed, the demigod set his piercing gaze upon Obsidian.

  “I promised Anna a year to decide whether she truly wished to aid you in leading my Legion, but my sister will not grant us that time. She’s grown desperate enough to resurrect the old ways and summon a djinn from the Spirit Realm.”

  Obsidian sucked in a surprised breath. His studies had covered the history of the djinn, and he was aware of their destructive power. “Merciful Mother.”

  “Indeed. You might be well served to pray to my divine parents for guidance. I did the moment all the future pat
hs shifted in subtle ways. What was clear just days ago has now been cast in doubt by the new futures born from the djinn’s arrival.”

  “This is not good.”

  “No. Unfortunately, you can do nothing about the djinn in my sister’s keeping at this time, but you will face him one day soon. And if you wish to survive a creature that even my sister and I would treat with extreme caution, then you and your Kyrsu must seal the bond between you and safeguard yourselves. This is the only way.”

  A chill swept through Obsidian’s soul. He knew what the demigod was asking. “Anna isn’t ready.”

  “We are all running out of time and must adapt our plans or see them fail.”

  “I do not disagree with you and would seal the bond with Anna in a heartbeat if I only knew how. You said it would take time. And yet we no longer have that time.”

  Lord Death nodded. “Yes, the ideal way to seal your bond is slowly, over time as your two minds become more accustomed to working together. An unshakable unity would have grown out of that naturally. But it is not the only way to solidify your link. A bond forged by shared trauma can be just as strong and formed much quicker due to necessity.”

  Obsidian’s blood rushed in his ears. Was the demigod really asking...

  “Yes. I am asking that. Asking that you take Anna’s worst memories and relive them yourself. You must become a cohesive unit. And that can’t happen until Anna stops shielding her innermost mind from you. Only if you see and endure what she went through and then show her you will not turn away from her, will she be able to let you into her mind fully.”

  Dray might be correct, but there was one problem. “Anna will never agree to this.”

  “That is irrelevant. One thing my long existence has taught me is that sometimes we must do what we find distasteful for the greater good.” Lord Death gestured to the world around them. “Sacrifice is a part of life. You must see her memories. Live them. Only then will she no longer have reason to guard her mind against you, to hide the pain and shame, because you will have experienced it and will know the fear. Then together, with the bond whole and strong, you will both start to heal.

  But Lord Draydrak’s plan left out one crucial detail.

  “I won’t do it. I’m not a monster. I won’t betray Anna. Our bond won’t be formed on such a breach of trust. She’s been raped once. I won’t mind-rape my Kyrsu just to seal some link on the off chance we’ll fight marginally better on the battlefield.”

  Lord Draydrak watched him silently. Though, he didn’t appear upset.

  Was this another test?

  Had he passed?

  Failed?

  “No, Obsidian. You are no monster.” Dray’s voice sounded resigned. “But I am when the need arises.”

  The Lord of the Underworld clambered to his hooves, his hands going to the hilts of his four swords. They cleared their scabbards with reverberating tones. The lingering chime might have been beautiful if it had been anything other than Lord Death preparing to strike Obsidian down.

  He was no match for Death, he knew it, but still, he raised his shields, layering more and more power into them.

  Magic erupted along the lengths of Draydrak’s blades. It raced from their deadly edges, crossed the space between them, and merged with the magic of the viewing mirror. The added power made the mirror’s image distort and shiver, but the spell held together.

  Moments later, the streams of magic darted from the mirror and collided with Obsidian’s barriers.

  But as he’d feared, his magic was no match for Death’s strength.

  Power rippled along the shield, tendrils reaching in to brush against Anna’s skin. More energy flowed under his own and his back stiffened at the strange sensation of it burrowing deep. It found a vein and followed that deeper, the magic racing through his blood.

  It eventually reached his heart but didn’t command that muscle to stop.

  Obsidian breathed, watching as Anna’s chest continued to rise and fall with life.

  Lord Dray didn’t want them dead then.

  Nor did he want them to move, either.

  Even wiggling a talon was impossible.

  Death’s magic continued to flow through his bloodstream. His mind—he realized that was its destination.

  Still staring down at Anna, he watched as magic continued to crawl across her body.

  He could sense its path, mirroring what was flowing through his own body. Which was how he knew the exact moment it touched her mind because it affected his as well.

  Anna’s eyes flew open, and she gasped, but she wasn’t awake, not truly.

  She was trapped in her own mind as Death hunted for the memories he wanted. After a short time, which was still far too long, Anna’s eyes closed, and she sighed, drifting back into a natural sleep.

  But Death’s magic wasn’t finished yet.

  It rose up out of her body, hovering above her skin a moment before racing along her body and forming tendrils that burrowed into his. Again, he felt the power speeding through his blood, to his heart, and then onward to his brain.

  There it flicked and probed and whirled until the power began to slowly recede.

  What? That was all? He’d expected Anna’s stolen memories to overwhelm him immediately. But nothing happened.

  He glanced down at Anna, drawing her sleeping body closer. That’s when he realized he could move again.

  “You have until the day after tomorrow before the spell sealing away her cloned memories fades and unleashes them to merge with your mind. When that happens, you won’t be able to hide it from her, and she’ll know what I’ve done.”

  Obsidian just sat there, panting as adrenaline, fear, and rage coursed through his body. He’d never felt so betrayed in his life.

  “Make sure you are far away from others on that day. You’ll be trapped in the memories until they play themselves out. Your magic will react to protect you from danger, but there will be no foe for it to strike.”

  Slowly, Dray’s words sank in, though he still seethed inside.

  “I understand.” The words were harsh and bitten out.

  “I know you are angry at me now, but it will fade as you come to understand that what I’ve set in motion is a good thing for your relationship with Anna.” Dray laughed then. “And you might just live long enough to work out the last of your issues now that you have a chance against the djinn.”

  Lord Dray turned and started away, the viewing mirror’s image fading. But he paused and glanced over his shoulder.

  “There’s another benefit for doing things my way. Now your Kyrsu’s anger will be firmly on me. She’ll see you as a victim.”

  Obsidian’s anger ebbed slightly. “You still should have told her about the djinn. She’s a soldier. She would have accepted that this needed to be done now that the danger to Earth and the Magic Realm is that much greater than it was before.”

  “Yes, she would. And ever after she would blame herself for you having to endure her memories. This way she’ll be too angry at me to blame herself or you.”

  Long after Lord Draydrak and the viewing mirror had vanished, Obsidian sat with his sleeping Kyrsu in his lap and stared out at the crashing waves. A storm was brewing on the horizon, dark clouds gathering to deliver damaging winds and rains to the mainland.

  He couldn’t help but think it was a metaphor for his own future as well.

  Chapter 39

  (The Present)

  LIEUTENANT RIDANER reflected on how his life was to end as he took one last look out over the ocean as he was led from the beach, deeper into Death’s kingdom. He’d always imagined he’d die honorably in battle. Perhaps even falling to protect his beloved captain.

  As Fate would have it, he wouldn’t be sacrificing his life for Vaspara’s. That was perhaps too much to ask. If he could not die protecting his superior, he could at least fulfill this, his last, mission.

  The captains had all put out a call to the soldiers under their command, asking for volunteers. H
e did not know about the other captains, but Vaspara had laid out the brutal truth. This was a death mission. And while she didn’t want to lose any of her soldiers, this mission’s success was pivotal to all future victories.

  He was not the greatest soldier under her command, but he was in the top thirty, which made him the perfect candidate. He wasn’t the only volunteer either. Many others had asked for the honor.

  Once a pool of candidates had been gathered from across all twelve companies, they were told the details of the mission that would take them into gargoyle territory. Nothing was left out, right down to the part where the volunteer’s soul would fuel the blood witch’s spell.

  Again, the captains called for volunteers to reassert their willingness.

  Far fewer had stepped forward that second time.

  The Lady of Battles had then ordered the remaining volunteers to take their conviction with them to the practice fields, and there a winner would be decided.

  Lieutenant Ridaner had won against all the challengers as he’d expected.

  After all, long, long ago, Vaspara had once saved his soul from being devoured by a demon. He was indebted to her. And he always repaid a debt.

  This one just had a very high cost.

  Though he hadn’t uttered a word as the blood witch called her terrible spell to inhabit his body, if Vaspara hadn’t been standing, looking on, there might have been screaming.

  But she was there, staying with him for the entirety of the ritual.

  Afterward, he’d been weak, too weak to stand on his own, but Vaspara and Sorac had pulled him to his feet. The firedrake had then muttered in his ear about the foolishness of blind love and devotion.

  There was wisdom in the firedrake’s words, he decided.

  His recovery had taken three days and then another nine to reach this location.

  He could have carried out his mission by fighting the first gargoyle he’d come across and then transferring the hidden spell, but Vaspara had said it would be better if he could catch one of the Masters in the spell instead of a foot soldier.